The formation of the Joshua Tree Foundation For the Betterment of Musicianship and Appreciation, aka, JTFBM & A, was created by the people participating in the Joshua Tree Community Jazz band that began in September of 2012. This rehearsal band brought together a group of people with one thing in common. A love for the art of jazz music and the desire to always improve and grow. With better mastery in the art form of jazz and in particular, big band jazz, we could then have a better ability to share it and help it thrive from the appreciation of it.
The pursuit of mastery came with unexpected gifts. Friendships, happiness, hope, pride in accomplishment and the joy of watching others do the same. It was undeniable that it’s growth must be cultivated and sent further out in our community. These wonderful gifts of life are needed by all of us, from the babies to the seniors. Just the reminder that each day we live can be a day lived to better our world, in itself is an immeasurable achievement.
The Foundation has set out to do what the name implies. Better musicianship and it’s appreciation. Jazz band music runs the risk of extinction. Sadly, it is one of the greatest gifts the musical history of America gave us and yet it could easily be forgotten without help to preserve it. One of the reasons for its demise is the cost of preserving it. The venues for performance of it, the audience for it and the musicians capable of performing it well, are a shrinking number. Our future children could easily never get the opportunity to know and love this wonderful form of music from our history, denying them the chance to enjoy it either as musicians themselves or one who appreciates it.
The Foundation is seeking volunteers, participants and donors to help with this cause. We plan on exploring as many opportunities to better the musicianship and appreciation of it in our community as we can possibly think of. Workshops, performances and drives for acquiring instruments for those who would like to learn, along with affordable private lessons are current pursuits on our docket. The goals do not stop with musicianship however, it is our hope to branch out to many artistic and other life quality pursuits.
The pursuit of mastery came with unexpected gifts. Friendships, happiness, hope, pride in accomplishment and the joy of watching others do the same. It was undeniable that it’s growth must be cultivated and sent further out in our community. These wonderful gifts of life are needed by all of us, from the babies to the seniors. Just the reminder that each day we live can be a day lived to better our world, in itself is an immeasurable achievement.
The Foundation has set out to do what the name implies. Better musicianship and it’s appreciation. Jazz band music runs the risk of extinction. Sadly, it is one of the greatest gifts the musical history of America gave us and yet it could easily be forgotten without help to preserve it. One of the reasons for its demise is the cost of preserving it. The venues for performance of it, the audience for it and the musicians capable of performing it well, are a shrinking number. Our future children could easily never get the opportunity to know and love this wonderful form of music from our history, denying them the chance to enjoy it either as musicians themselves or one who appreciates it.
The Foundation is seeking volunteers, participants and donors to help with this cause. We plan on exploring as many opportunities to better the musicianship and appreciation of it in our community as we can possibly think of. Workshops, performances and drives for acquiring instruments for those who would like to learn, along with affordable private lessons are current pursuits on our docket. The goals do not stop with musicianship however, it is our hope to branch out to many artistic and other life quality pursuits.
4035 Dewey Avenue, Joshua Tree, CA 92252
760-574-5267
760-574-5267